The Questioneers at DuPage Children’s Museum

With a nod to mid-century modernism, the design of the DuPage Children’s Museum Questioneers exhibit brings the popular book characters – Iggy Peck, Rosie Revere, Ada Twist, Sofia Valdez, and Aaron Slater – to life in hands-on ways! Visitors engage in STEM activities alongside their favorite characters, who offer inspiration, passion, and perseverance.

The aesthetic of these questioning worlds with their mid-century homes and décor feels comfortable, timeless, and beloved. Visitors, adult, and child, feel at home as they read, question, and think.

Rosie and Ada’s homes with their fashionable and iconic interiors seem synonymous with what we grew up with. They’re part of our everyone’s childhoods and culture. They resonate with us. From the Eames lounger to the Peacock chair, streamlined furnishings define these homes and remind us of their innovative mass-produced nature. They are perfectly aligned to the gutsiness of each Questioneer through witty and fun learning experiences.

Sofia and Iggy build a sense of community in their zones. Architecturally, these spaces are open; perfect for inquiring young activists and architects. Sofia’s Park is a stage-set. A totally accessible spiral ramp permits go-getters to rise to the challenge of transforming Mt. Trashmore into Citizen’s Park, with the help of friends and citizens. Iggy’s Dream Table is tiered to allow young architects of all ages and abilities to build and be constructive, and to pop up inside the table, too. 

The Questioneers Classroom is the heart and soul of the exhibit. It is open and flexible, portable and programable. We’ve taken care to hide and to embed fascinating details from all the books. Everyone will ask how, what, and why. 

Each zone is carefully crafted to express the values embedded in each character through architecture and experience. The spatial and physical qualities, aesthetic, learning, and play are designed to be expressive of the vocabulary, the wit, and the charm found in the stories and illustrations. The Questioneeers brings the books to life!

Awards:  

Award of Superior Achievement, Illinois Association of Museums, 2022.
Recognition of the Questioneers Traveling Exhibit as a modernist motivator for STEM learning and fun.

Owner:  DuPage Children’s Museum
Architecture, Interior Architecture & Exhibit Design:  Architecture Is Fun, Inc.
Location:  Naperville/Illinois
Status:  Completed 2022
Photography:  © Doug Snower Photography